It’s official – I’m headed North to Grand Forks, North Dakota next year to attend the University of North Dakota’s aerospace program. With a fleet of over 120 aircraft including airplanes, helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems, the University of North Dakota has the nation’s largest collegiate flight program. Its 1,000+ students fly over 200,000 hours annually. The UND Fleet North Dakota Sunrise Finally – A Nice C172 Interior Lining Up For Takeoff Charlie Ramp C172s UND’s Weather-Research Citation Other than aviation, UND has roughly 14,000 students and over 10 schools within the university. Programs range from arts and engineering, to business, nursing, and medicine. That gives aviation students an awesome opportunity to take classes or pursue majors in other fields. Hockey Time Inside The Hockey Arena Inside The Hockey Arena Student Wellness Center Grand Forks sees four full seasons of weather, with warm summers and brutally cold winters. It’s a great place to train in all conditions, with students learning to fly and manage aircraft in some of the harshest conditions available. When you think about it, those conditions can be a real benefit. It prepares you to handle the worst of the worst, giving you the confidence to fly in some pretty terrible weather. North Dakota Winters My high school hasn’t ever graduated a student to the University of North Dakota. It’s 1,200 miles and a nearly 24 hour drive away from home, so I’ll be in a completely new environment. Lining Up For Takeoff Day one is August 24th, -Swayne Share this:ShareTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint 21 Responses Colin Summers April 27, 2015 Congratulations! Join NEXUS as soon as possible. You’re close enough for border crossings into Canada. (I think you need to join CanPASS, too.) Reply Swayne Martin April 27, 2015 That sounds like a good idea! Reply Karlene April 27, 2015 Swayne, this is wonderful!! You are going to have so much fun, learn lots, and be one step closer to your dream! Enjoy! Reply Swayne Martin April 28, 2015 Thanks, Karlene! I can’t wait to get up there. Reply Anne April 28, 2015 Congratulations on your focus, hard work, and sense of adventure to immerse yourself in a completely new environment! Reply Swayne Martin April 28, 2015 It’ll be a big change, but I think I’m ready for it. Reply Alison at The Gracious Posse April 28, 2015 So excited for you, Swayne. Can’t wait to follow your adventures in the frozen tundra! Reply Swayne Martin April 28, 2015 Thanks! I’m excited for it! Reply Randy Cabrera April 28, 2015 Congratulations! I’m heading to North shore Community College, Massachusetts to pursue my career as an aviator. Reply Swayne Martin April 29, 2015 That’s awesome, Randy. Congratulations! Reply Briggs April 28, 2015 Good that you were able to find a college with the most essential ingredient…a hockey team. 😉 Enjoy and fly safe! Reply Swayne Martin April 28, 2015 I’m looking forward to it! Thanks! Reply Brett April 29, 2015 Congratulations! If at all possible try to go the engineering route, it will be hard but worth it for the best total qualifications and best backup to professional pilot. Plus you can be a test pilot if you want.., Reply Swayne Martin April 29, 2015 That’s really good advice Brett, I’ll make sure to look into it! Reply Mark Sickle May 9, 2015 Congrats Swayne. What degree are you pursuing? Pilot? ATC? I’m a retired air traffic controller working as a radar instructor at the FAA Academy in OKC. Maybe we’ll see you here in the next few years if you choose this great career path. Reply Swayne Martin May 10, 2015 My degree will most likely be Commercial Aviation with a possible minor in some form of business. Reply Jish May 13, 2015 This is awesome Swayne! The first time I ever visit your website, and it turns out I will be in the same class as your’s! I’ll be majoring in aviation management. 😀 Reply Swayne Martin May 13, 2015 That’s awesome! Reply Ryan F May 20, 2015 wow that looks awesome, I just discovered this blog, and I eagerly await hearing more about this. I’m the same age, and I’ll be pursuing a similar career path at a similar school- I can’t wait to see the similarities and differences. I’ll be attending Embry-Riddle Daytona Class of 2019, I can’t believe I’m only finding your blog now. Reply Fawn Longridge May 14, 2017 Wow. Your site is so helpful. My son Kai is 16 and has been flying since he was 14. He is soon to get his private pilots license AND graduating from high school. He is now in the same boat – or should I say “plane” you were in as a senior making college choices about schools and such. I’m so happy you have experienced so much in life already. Your future is limitless. Your family must be so proud. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us. We’d love to talk to you in person if you ever come to Orange County, California. Reply Swayne Martin May 16, 2017 That’s SO awesome that he’s going after his PPL … And even better that you guys are supporting him to do so. Let me know if you guys have questions as he gets more advanced in his training. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName Email Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.
Colin Summers April 27, 2015 Congratulations! Join NEXUS as soon as possible. You’re close enough for border crossings into Canada. (I think you need to join CanPASS, too.) Reply
Karlene April 27, 2015 Swayne, this is wonderful!! You are going to have so much fun, learn lots, and be one step closer to your dream! Enjoy! Reply
Anne April 28, 2015 Congratulations on your focus, hard work, and sense of adventure to immerse yourself in a completely new environment! Reply
Alison at The Gracious Posse April 28, 2015 So excited for you, Swayne. Can’t wait to follow your adventures in the frozen tundra! Reply
Randy Cabrera April 28, 2015 Congratulations! I’m heading to North shore Community College, Massachusetts to pursue my career as an aviator. Reply
Briggs April 28, 2015 Good that you were able to find a college with the most essential ingredient…a hockey team. 😉 Enjoy and fly safe! Reply
Brett April 29, 2015 Congratulations! If at all possible try to go the engineering route, it will be hard but worth it for the best total qualifications and best backup to professional pilot. Plus you can be a test pilot if you want.., Reply
Mark Sickle May 9, 2015 Congrats Swayne. What degree are you pursuing? Pilot? ATC? I’m a retired air traffic controller working as a radar instructor at the FAA Academy in OKC. Maybe we’ll see you here in the next few years if you choose this great career path. Reply
Swayne Martin May 10, 2015 My degree will most likely be Commercial Aviation with a possible minor in some form of business. Reply
Jish May 13, 2015 This is awesome Swayne! The first time I ever visit your website, and it turns out I will be in the same class as your’s! I’ll be majoring in aviation management. 😀 Reply
Ryan F May 20, 2015 wow that looks awesome, I just discovered this blog, and I eagerly await hearing more about this. I’m the same age, and I’ll be pursuing a similar career path at a similar school- I can’t wait to see the similarities and differences. I’ll be attending Embry-Riddle Daytona Class of 2019, I can’t believe I’m only finding your blog now. Reply
Fawn Longridge May 14, 2017 Wow. Your site is so helpful. My son Kai is 16 and has been flying since he was 14. He is soon to get his private pilots license AND graduating from high school. He is now in the same boat – or should I say “plane” you were in as a senior making college choices about schools and such. I’m so happy you have experienced so much in life already. Your future is limitless. Your family must be so proud. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us. We’d love to talk to you in person if you ever come to Orange County, California. Reply
Swayne Martin May 16, 2017 That’s SO awesome that he’s going after his PPL … And even better that you guys are supporting him to do so. Let me know if you guys have questions as he gets more advanced in his training. Reply
